


The Space Before

by Rochelle_Templer



Series: Inktober For Writers 2017 [14]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Just a little bit of spookiness for Halloween, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 14:13:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12367428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rochelle_Templer/pseuds/Rochelle_Templer
Summary: Sometimes, evil can linger in a place....





	The Space Before

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my Inktober for Writers project. The prompt for this fic is "haunted".
> 
> This takes place after my other FFVIII fics time-line wise.

“Dad, what makes you think this place  is haunted ?”

Squall crossed his arms over his chest while Laguna stood near the exit, leaning forward so he could peer inside without actually going in  .  Laguna had called him two hours ago about a “possible monster infestation” in the presidential palace  .  Normally  , Squall would have reminded Laguna that he had an elite squad of soldiers at his disposal, but something in his father’s tone squashed that idea  . Laguna had sounded somber as well as antsy.  There was definitely more to this than  just  his father freaking out over some unidentified noises .

And Squall figured it would be better if he was the one to find out what it was.

“Well….lots of stuff,” Laguna said. “Stuff that no one can explain. Like how everyone who walks in here gets a chill.”

“That? That’s easy to explain,” Squall huffed. “There could be a fault in the climate control for this room.”

“And there’s the near-constant squeaks people hear when they walk around.”

“Damage to the structural integrity of the floor.” 

“The lights keep trying to flicker out.”

“Short circuits in the wiring.”

“Ok, but what about the voices?” Laguna said with a pout. “The weird voices that are speaking in some language that no one around here recognizes?” 

That got Squall’s interest. “Are there any transistors close by that could be transmitting sound into this room?”

“None. Kiros checked into that,” Laguna said, shaking his head  emphatically .

Squall frowned and looked down at his arms that were still crossed over his chest.  Even though the other phenomena could be  easily  explained by mundane causes; it seemed unlikely that  all of  them would be occurring at once . Sure, coincidences could happen, but that many at the same time could only be suspect. 

Squall pulled out a small flashlight from his pocket and walked into the room. He tried the light switch, but the lights were so dim and intermittent, Squall knew he couldn’t rely on them. He ran a hand down the nearest wall all the way down to the floor. Then he crouched down and examined the base where the wall touched the floor. Nothing appeared out of place. 

Squall sighed and stood up….running into Laguna’s chin along the way.

“Dad,” Squall grumbled, rubbing the top of his head. “What are you doing? I thought you didn’t want to go in here and were going to wait outside. 

“And let you be in here all alone?” Laguna said, rubbing his jaw. “No way.”

Squall nodded and shined his flashlight toward the ceiling. Although he’d never admit it, he was glad that Laguna was there next to him. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but there was something comforting about his father’s presence.

A whisper of a voice tickled his ear and Squall froze.

“Squall? Did…did you hear…?”

“Yes,” Squall said, his voice tight with tension. He scanned the room, but could see nothing that could account for the cold wisp of sound that he had heard.  The way that Laguna stood  perfectly  still in a defensive pose told Squall that his father  was concerned  as well 

“Squall…I’m not sure, but… I think  Adel used to meet people here. People she wasn’t happy with.”

Squall nodded in understanding. Most people did not go into detail about the cruelties that Adel had leveled on the citizens of Esthar.  However  , after seeing Adel and Ultimacia at work, it wasn’t hard for Squall to imagine some of the possibilities .

Laguna grabbed his arm, his eyes caring, but also authoritative. “Squall, we should leave this room…now.”

Squall nodded and allowed Laguna to guide him out of the room.  As a sorceress' knight, he was familiar with the insidious lure a sorcerer’s presence can have on a place long after they are gone  .  He was grateful that Laguna was alert to that danger and was strong enough to see to his son before hightailing it out of there .

Because at that moment, Squall wasn’t  entirely  sure if he would have been able to leave on his own.


End file.
